And so it goes.
Billy Joel had an “extra special” Father’s Day amid his ongoing well being battle.
The 76-year-old Grammy winner’s spouse, Alexis, 43, praised her “strong” and “determined” husband on Sunday, June 15, in a touching tribute shared to his Instagram.
Posting a number of never-before-seen photographs of Joel’s life as a father and household man, Alexis showcased intimate moments with the legendary singer and their two younger daughters Della, 9, and Remy, 7.
“This Father’s Day is extra special. We are always grateful and thankful but this year really reminded us how lucky we are to have you,” Alexis’ tribute started.
“We are so blessed to have such a strong, determined man in our lives. You are a wonderful support for us and we only hope we can be the same for you. We love you and know you will be rocking out next year💙💗💗💗.”
Joel’s eldest daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, whom he shares together with his ex-wife, Christie Brinkley, additionally posted a candy message to her father in honor of the special occasion.
Sharing a black-and-white childhood photograph of the singer holding her in his arms, Alexa captioned it, “Happy Father’s Day, Pop‼️ The King Of New York.”
She continued by thanking him for “giving me all of the love, knowledge, melodies, coronary heart, and soul I might ever ask for.
“Hey, I’m even lucky enough to have a timeless lullaby and a beautiful boat named after me! I remain forever touched and grateful that you have given me so much,” she added earlier than praising his “generous spirit, endlessly deep intellect, and sweeping musical legacy.”
Joel’s oldest baby concluded her Father’s Day publish, writing, “You’re a mensch! I’m lucky to have been so damn spoiled by you back in the day… after all, you gave me all the chocolate a daughter could ever ask for! Every moment with you is an instant classic. ❤️ Love Always & Forever, Alexa Ray.”
The household’s tributes come weeks after it was revealed that the “New York State of Mind” singer was identified with regular stress hydrocephalus.
The dysfunction happens when cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) builds up contained in the cranium and presses on the mind, disrupting cognitive functioning.
Within the well being announcement posted to his Instagram on Might 23, the household revealed his situation acquired worse because of his latest live performance performances, “leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance.”
The physician ordered Joel to “refrain from performing during this recovery period,” inflicting the “We Didn’t Start the Fire” hitmaker to cancel all of his tour dates via subsequent yr.
Regardless of his analysis, Joel reportedly has no plans to retire.
On his podcast, Howard Stern defined Joel’s situation, including the 2 had dinner two weeks earlier than he introduced his analysis.
“Yeah, he does have issues,” Stern shared. “But he said, ‘Yeah, you can tell people, you know, I’m not dying.’ You know, he wants people to know that. He just, he’s gotta deal with some medical stuff, but he was delightful.”
The Submit solely reported that Joel wouldn’t be attending the Tribeca Movie Pageant for the premiere of his documentary “Billy Joel: And So It Goes” earlier this month.
Nonetheless, throughout the occasion, the doc administrators Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin addressed Joel’s absence, revealing a joke about demise that the singer advised them.
“We know Billy wishes he were here tonight, and he asked us to convey that to you all. In fact, he said, ‘Getting old sucks, but it’s preferable to getting cremated,’” one among them recalled earlier than assuring the gang, “He will be back.”
Joel didn’t maintain again in his documentary, making headlines for tackling robust points like revealing he tried to commit suicide twice after having an affair together with his finest pal’s spouse.
“I had no place to live. I was sleeping in laundromats and I was depressed I think to the point of almost being psychotic,” Joel shared partially.
“So I figured, ‘That’s it. I don’t want to live anymore,’” he defined.
“I was just in a lot of pain and it was sort of like why hang out, tomorrow is going to be just like today is and today sucks. So, I just thought I’d end it all.”
Joel’s documentary will air on HBO and HBO Max at an unannounced date later this summer time.
In case you are fighting suicidal ideas or are experiencing a psychological well being disaster and stay in New York Metropolis, you possibly can name 1-888-NYC-WELL without spending a dime and confidential disaster counseling. For those who stay exterior the 5 boroughs, you possibly can dial the 24/7 Nationwide Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
